


Hogwats: a New History

by Drovenmad



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-07-31
Updated: 2013-07-31
Packaged: 2017-12-22 00:06:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,173
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/906547
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Drovenmad/pseuds/Drovenmad
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>May Barr is finally going to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, coming from a pure blood family it is something she has been waiting for. But it will not be the first year she was expecting, with a Mass Murderer on the loose and dementors guarding the school there is no doubt it will be a crazy year.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Hogwats: a New History

“Did you remember to pack all of your clothes?” Her mother asked carrying her owl, the cage swinging madly and making the majestic barn owl inside ruffle its feathers disapprovingly.

“No, mother, I left them all at home and filled my trunk with love potion and pumpkin cakes.” May said sarcastically.

“Don’t talk to me in that tone!” Her mother snapped.

“Of course I packed my clothes! You made me three lists and I checked off all of them.”

“I’m only checking.” Her mother said defensively. “Katie once told me that and before the train had even left London her owl was on the roof of the car with a letter saying she had left all her robes at home.”

“That was her first year. Of course she would forget something.”

“And since this is your first year can you see why I am checking.”

“Wait a minute, didn’t you just pack the one trunk for Rory and Leo and expected them to get sorted into the same house?” Her mother went quiet.

“Maybe...”

“She did.” Rory said, dragging his trunk behind him with his owls cage strapped onto it, the pygmy owl inside it swinging cheerfully on its perch. “There was a reason why we got pretty good at smell eliminating spells in first year.”

“There is no way we are doing that again.” Leo said, his cat sleeping across his shoulders like a scarf.

“When can we get away from my problematic packing and back to May’s first day at Hogwarts? And more to the point why aren’t you sticking up for me?” May’s mother turned to face her father who was shying away behind his sons.

“I prefer to stay out of this, because no matter what side I choose I will have to listen to the fallout until christmas.”

“I’ll give you fallout when we get home!”

“You’re screwed dad.” Leo said, slapping his father on the shoulder.

“Trust me, I’ve been through worse.” His father’s gaze wandered and spotted a wave of red haired people walking through the station ahead of them. “Arthur! Arthur!”

“Dad, please...” May said, trying to hide her face as the entire family turned to face them.

“William! Nice to see you!” May’s father walked over to face the tall balding man, though what little hair he had was red like the women and most of the children around him.

“How are the kids Arthur? That little one must be Percy, hes getting big.”

“No William, that is Percy there,” He pointed at the tallest of the red headed children who was too busy polishing a badge on his chest to notice. “And that is Fred and George, or George and Fred never sure which way round.” he told her dad pointing to the two identical red heads will grins growing across their faces. “Then there is Ron, and finally Ginny my youngest.” he pointed over to the last red headed male who was standing next to a bushy haired girl and then to the younger redheaded girl beside her.

“Who are those other kids?”

“Ah these are Ron’s friends, Hermione Granger,” pointing to the bushy haired girl, “ And Harry Potter.” The black haired boy standing behind Ron moved out so that William could get a better look. The shorter plumb redhaired woman taped Arthur's shoulder.

“If we don’t hurry we are going to miss the train, you and William can catch up later.” She said, looking quite angry.

“Is that THE Harry Potter?”

“Yes, but Molly is right the train will be leaving shortly come on, we can talk once the kids are gone.” Arthur left no room for discussion, he started walking further into the station, guiding the young Harry by the shoulder.

“We best go too, we don’t want you kids to miss the train.”

“What kids? Rory, and Kate have already gone through.” May’s mother said, eyes narrowed.

“Oh, well we better follow, right May.”

“Right dad.” May’s eyes narrowed identically to her mothers, her father just smiled and put his hand round her shoulder much like Arthur had done for Harry and together they walked towards the barrier.

“When you are going through the barrier, make sure you do it at a bit of a run, otherwise you might freak out a little and stop. Hopefully the momentum will be enough. If it isn’t I’ll be there to push you through.”

“Thanks dad. It’s always nice to know you have my back when I need that push.”

“Enough of the talking, we need to move, NOW!” Her mother said, almost jogging through the station towards the wall between platforms nine and ten. May gave a mighty heft of her trolley and started to run between the platforms. She saw her mother disappear through a wall and put on another burst of effort and sped towards the entrance to platform nine and three quarters.

“Just go in quickly.” She heard her father say just before a cold watery feeling passed through her and she walked into the noisy and smoky platform. A bright crimson steam engine sat waiting on the tracks, smoke and steam billowing over the engine. The platform itself was crowded mainly by adults, May assumed that they were parents of the children who were already hanging out of the windows of the train.

“Come on May... need to get you on the train... leaves at eleven sharp.” Her father said as he emerged from through the barrier.

“There’s mum with Oswin.” May said to her dad, her mum was waiting by one of the trains many doors impatiently tapping her foot. Carefully she pushed her trolley towards her mother, her sister was standing in the door, already in her robes, and she motioned for May to pass her trunk up to her.

“Remember to behave, and study hard.” Her mother said, placing her hands on Mays shoulders.

“I will mum, don’t worry about it.”

“Katie you will look after your sister won’t you?”

“Yes mum.” Katie yawned, her mother frowned and seemed to be convinced.

“I mean it, if I find she is being picked on and you aren’t doing anything about it you will be getting a howler.”

“You wouldn’t!”

“I would.”

“Fine.” Katie sighed, pulling May’s trunk into the train and helped her sister up. There was a sudden whistle from the platform and the trains door started to shut themselves. May looked out the window of the doors at her parents.

“Have fun,” Her father said as they watched from the platform. “Don’t get into too much trouble.”

“What are you telling her that for?” Her mother said loudly, “We’re meant to...” May never heard the end of what her mother had been yelling at her father, the whistle from the engine drowning it out.

“I’m going to find my friends, you’ll be fine on your own. Just find an empty compartment and sit, if i remember I’ll check on you later,” Katie said to her as she walked away, yawning yet again.

“Useless...” May hissed under her breath as she dragged her case through the train. She passed dozens of cabins until she found one that only had a single occupant. A girl her own age, rather thin with really long dark hair tied back in a ponytail was sitting nearest the window with a large book open on her lap. May slid the door open and the girl glanced up at her, her sea grey eyes looking bored up at her.

“Do you mind if I join you? I think everyone else is full.” The girl gave her another bored look before shaking her head side to side and returning to her book. May took that as a no and slid her trunk into the cabin before taking the seat opposite the other girl. It took May a few minutes to stow her her trunk under the seat and she could hear the other girl breathing loudly.

“Sorry for being so loud.” The girl seemed to consider the apology acceptable and returned to her book, but was now holding it up so that it covered her face. May took that as a hint that the girl had no inclination to speak with her, so she instead chose to look out of the window. The door slid open again and a tall boy walked in, at the sight of his hair May thought that he was related to the people her dad had been speaking to, but she did not remember his being with them.

“Mind if I join you?” He said, a large grin on his face, though he didn’t wait for either May or the other girl to answer the question. “Don’t mind if I do.”

Shortly after he had spoken he invited himself in, dragging behind him his own large trunk, like may he took more than ample time to put it out of the way before returning to the corridor to collect his owl and its cage. Coming back in with his owl that he place next to Oswin, he sat down next to May. May kept her gaze from him, instead looking at the smaller girl across from her, who seemed to have given up on reading her book. The book in question was now closed and sitting on her lap, whilst her sea grey eyes were glaring at the new comer.

“I am Robert McKay, by the way.” The boy who had entered the cabin last, Robert, gave a small bow as he introduced himself. “I hope I am not disturbing you two lovely ladies.”

“Frankly yes you are, but I’m not likely to get much reading done now that there more people in here.” The girl who had remained silent up until now snapped at Robert, he was dumbfounded for a few seconds before clearing his throat.

“Well I apologise for disturbing your reading miss, but trust me that book has a pretty bad ending.”

“I would have preferred to find that out for myself.” May smirked at the girls words as she stared at the other girl, a faint glimmer in the other girls eyes told May that she was just as amused. May’s smirk disappeared as the boy sat in the seat directly beside her, his arm pressing up against hers.

“So what are your names? I’m sure they are as lovely as your faces.” May turned to the window and rolled her eyes. The other girl also seemed disinterested in the boys question and showed no signs of answering his question.

“I’m guessing by the name on your trunk that you are a Barr,” May’s heart sank. Why did her mother have to put her name on it in massive letters. “You wouldn’t happen to be the same Barr that used to be the potions master? The one that reverses the effects of veritaserum?” The other girl turned her attention towards May, obviously interested in the answer as well.

“Yes, he was my great grandfather. We are quite proud of his achievements.”

“Yes I assume you are, my family are also quite talented.” He said, a smug tone overtaking his voice.

“Curious,” she turned to face the boy. “I don’t believe I have ever heard your name mentioned in the magical world.”

“No but the McKay family is quite important in the Muggle world, and I will carry that over into the magical world.” He puffed out his chest trying to look as important as he sounded. The girl across from them quietly snorted in an amused fashion before returning her attention to the window. “But that still doesn’t properly answer my question, miss Barr.” There was a loud croaking from near the door and the three of them turned to see a small brownish frog sitting in the open door, its slimy skin shining in the light. It croaked again, its throat sack swelling up to almost the same size as its body before it jumped up onto the seat beside Robert. He reeled back from the amphibian, flattening May against the cold glass and earning him a strange look from both the girls.

“Are you honestly scared of a small frog?” the quiet girl asked, an eyebrow raised quizzically, a smirk adoring her face.

“It’s not a frog, its a toad!” said a skinny boy who had appeared at the door.

“It is a bit small for a toad,” She said looking closer at the frog. “No I am definitely saying frog.”

“So am I,” May said. “My father has taken me pond dipping for potions ingredients too many times for me not to know that it is a frog.”

“It’s a toad! I’ve raised it since it was a tadpole and I’m telling you it is a toad!”

“I don’t care if it is one or the other, just get it away from me!” Robert shouted, squirming away from the animal that was slowly crawling towards him. May moved her arm and pushed him away from her, trying to give herself room to breathe. The boy standing in the door rolled his eyes before entering the cabin and picking the toad up, and sitting down opposite Robert with it in his lap. The quiet girl gave the boy next to her a strange look.

“Great we have picked up another one.” She said before rolling her eye’s and returning her attention to the world outside the window, that in her mind was far more interesting.

“So what’s your name?” May asked the newcomer.

“John Knox,” He said. “And this is Excalibur.”

“You called a frog Excalibur?” The quiet girl asked, turning her head sharply round to face him.

“Its a toad! But yes.”

“As in King Arthur’s legendary sword?” She continued.

“Yes, do you know of any other Excaliburs?”

“Well there...” she stopped mid sentence and returned her gaze to the window, as if she had lost all interest.

“Why would you give a vile thing like that a name in the first place?” Robert shrieked, May and John looked at him as if he had horns growing straight out of his head.

“Frogs and toads are common pets in the magical world Robert.” May said in her most matter-of-factly voice.

“I don’t care whether they are used as cement in the walls, they are still filthy, slimy...”

“Are all boys as whiny as you?” The quiet girl interrupted and asked Robert.

“I just don’t like frogs or toads, I don’t mind salamanders or newts. They don’t jump up on you.” Both May and the other girl gave him another look.

There was a knock on the door that grabbed the attention away from Robert, standing on the other side of the open door was an older looking witch who was pushing a trolley that was covered in strange looking sweets and packages.

“Anything off the trolley dears?” she asked with a small smile, the quiet girl shook her head and turned her attention back to the window this time determined to ignore the other people in the cabin.

“Two pumpkin pasties and a chocolate frog.” May said, fishing in her pocket for the right coins.

“Two chocolate frogs.” John added also fishing around in his pocket for the right coins to pay the woman. Though like the other girl, Robert shook his head before reaching into his jacket and pulling out a small plastic box. After the older witch had moved on to the next cabin, closing the door as she left, Robert opened the plastic box and removed some neatly cut up sandwiches from the inside.

“So what house do you reckon you will be in?” He asked before he took a bite out of the first of his sandwiches.

“Well my sister and one of my brothers are in Ravenclaw, but I have another brother in Gryffindor so I might be in either.”

“Yea, that is strange having a family split over more than one house.”

“What can I say we Barr’s like to be different.” May said nonchalantly as she removed one of the pumpkin pasties from its wrapping.

“Well I am hoping to be in Gryffindor, they say Albus Dumbledore himself was in Gryffindor.” Robert said, obviously anxious to draw the attention of the conversation back to him. Though he was taken aback when the girl who was yet to tell him her name snapped her head round to look at him.

“So you want to be in Gryffindor for no other reason than some old guy was once in it, how pathetic.” She said to him, a sneer in her voice.

“Man, you are a Slytherin if ever I heard one.” Was all he could reply with.

“So what if I am put in Slytherin, as long as I in a different house from you I couldn't really care.” With that she stood up, quickly grabbed something out of her trunk, placed her book on the seat and left the cabin.

“sheesh, what is eating her.” Robert took another bite, as May rolled her eyes at him. “What about you John?”

“I will probably be in Slytherin, with my sister.” He said quietly as he opened the second of his chocolate frogs.

“You don’t act like a Slytherin though?” May said looking at John who just shrugged his shoulders in response.”Maybe you will end up in Hufflepuff?” john gave her a small glare, but it lasted less than a second and was followed by a further shrug.

“What book was that little nymphet reading anyway?” Robert asked obviously no longer interested in the houses that the other were going to be in.

“Thought you said it had a crappy ending?” May asked turning to look at him. John on the other hand turned to look at the seat beside himself that was occupied by the book in question.

“I just said that because it is gonna be a crappy romance novel, and they all have crappy endings.”

“Its ‘Hogwarts, A History’” Said John clearly not interested in either the book or the growing argument between the other two, it didn’t work, May gave Robert a pointed look one that he did not return instead choosing to look sheepishly at the floor of the Cabin.

“A ‘crappy romance’ huh?” May said slowly.

“How was I supposed to know?”

“Then why did you insult it.Just because a girl is reading a book does it have to mean she's reading some mindless drivel?" Robert cowered away from her slightly as she raised her voice.

“Sorry.” He said, rather quietly.

“Don’t apologise to me, apologise to her when she comes back.” It suddenly struck May that the girl still hadn’t offered her name, from the chair opposite Robert John let out a small snigger.

“Ok, I will apologize when she comes back,” Robert said crossing his arms over his chest and sounding defeated. “That make you happy?”

“No but it is a good start.” That seemed to bring an end to the conversation for a while.


End file.
